The mud has formally settled on the offseason, and NHL groups just lately reported to their coaching camps throughout the league. Fairly a couple of high-profile gamers switched addresses over the summer season, together with star winger Jake Guentzel touchdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Nashville Predators bringing within the likes of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in free company.
With NHL preseason video games simply days away, the common season is not too far-off from getting underway. Whereas it’s a lengthy season, there are various marquee video games that hockey followers are going to need to tune in for.
Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the regular-season schedule with the highest 20 video games we’ll see all through the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
The 2024 Stanley Cup Remaining bought off to a sluggish begin, however actually displayed some unimaginable drama within the later phases of the sequence. After the Oilers erased a 3-0 sequence deficit to power a Recreation 7, the Panthers have been in a position to tally a hard-fought 2-1 win in Recreation 7 and hoisted their first Stanley Cup in franchise historical past. The 2 groups will battle it out for the primary time on Dec. 16 this coming season, and nearly all of each groups are again within the fold. It is all the time enjoyable to see the place the defending convention champions are as they appear to push for a return journey to the NHL mountaintop.
For the second consecutive season, the NHL may have potential elite participant getting into the league on Opening Night time. Whereas Macklin Celebrini is not fairly as heralded of a prospect as Connor Bedard, he’ll nonetheless be an especially intriguing participant on the ice all through the 2024-25 season. In any case, Celebrini did rack up 64 factors (32 targets, 32 assists) as a freshman at Boston School in 2023-24 and is properly definitely worth the value of admission. It is also value noting that Celebrini’s former Boston School teammate Will Smith will even be making his NHL debut on this sport, so the Sharks may very well be enjoyable to look at develop in 2024-25.
3. Panthers at Blue Jackets (Oct. 15)
That is one the place the hockey world goes to collectively weep. This matchup between the Panthers and Blue Jackets would be the first sport in Columbus for the reason that tragic loss of life of Blue Jackets star winger Johnny Gaudreau. Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, have been killed in a biking accident in New Jersey this summer season. Gaudreau was a fixture in Columbus and Calgary all through his 11-year NHL profession and amongst one of many league’s high abilities. It is probably the Blue Jackets will honor Gaudreau all through the 2024-25 season, however nothing has been introduced on that entrance simply but. Nonetheless, it’ll be a really emotional night in Columbus because the group continues to heal.
4. Hurricanes at Predators (Oct. 5)
The Predators despatched shockwaves via the NHL after they have been probably the most lively group in free company. Nashville added star forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, who each have Stanley Cup-winning expertise. If that wasn’t sufficient of a splash, the Predators additionally landed veteran defenseman Brady Skjei to probably pair with 2024 Norris Trophy finalist Roman Josi. It’s going to be fascinating to see what these new-look Predators can do within the early going.
Macklin Celebrini is not the one premier rookie taking the ice this season. Extremely-touted ahead Matvei Michkov will make his NHL debut with the Flyers a lot sooner than many imagined after being set free of his KHL contract in Russia. Michkov fell into the Flyers’ lap within the 2023 NHL Draft on account of the truth that many groups have been uncertain when he’d have the ability to come stateside. Now, Michkov will look to offer the Flyers a real celebrity to construct round, and it will be value maintaining a tally of how he adjusts to the North American type of play.
This sport ideas the scales for a number of causes. It’s going to be the sophomore season debut for Blackhawks star heart Connor Bedard, who shall be trying to construct off of an exceptional rookie marketing campaign. Nevertheless, it additionally marks the primary residence sport for the Utah Hockey Membership after relocating from Arizona. The early returns have proven that Salt Lake Metropolis may very well be creating right into a big-time hockey market, very like Las Vegas and Seattle did of their inaugural seasons. It’s going to be enjoyable to see if the fan help is there for an NHL franchise with an abundance of younger expertise.
7. Blues vs. Blackhawks (Dec. 31)
The Winter Basic is an opportunity for the game to return to its root taking part in open air. This season’s Winter Basic shall be performed at Wrigley Subject between the Blues and the Blackhawks. It’s going to mark the second time Wrigley Subject is internet hosting the Winter Basic with the one different time coming in 2009, when the Blackhawks hosted the Purple Wings. Seeing Connor Bedard taking part in open air in a Main League Baseball stadium? It does not get significantly better than that.
8. Stars at Oilers (Oct. 19)
The Oilers have been in a position to get one of the best of the Stars within the Western Convention Remaining final season. The Stars took two of the primary three video games of the sequence earlier than the Oilers woke as much as win three consecutive video games. It additionally did not damage that Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner surrendered simply 4 whole targets over the ultimate three contests of the sequence. It is probably Dallas shall be searching for revenge when dealing with the group that ended its Stanley Cup aspirations a number of months in the past.
The 2024-25 NHL season will kick off in Prague, Czech Republic as a part of the league’s International Collection. The Devils are coming off of a down yr by which they didn’t qualify for the postseason. New Jersey lastly discovered a goaltender in Jacob Markstrom through the commerce market, whereas additionally signing the likes of Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon to enhance their again finish. The Sabres, who additionally missed the postseason in 2023-24, shall be trying to get off to a quick begin behind star abilities like Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin.
10. NHL 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 13-20)
Possibly that is dishonest, however the 4 Nations Face-Off could not be left off of this record. The spherical robin-style event will get underway on Feb. 13 and have nationwide groups constructed of gamers from the US, Canada, Finland and Sweden. The event will substitute the NHL All-Star Recreation in 2025, and it will mark the primary time since 2014 that NHL gamers will go well with up for worldwide competitors. Gamers like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Nathan MacKinnon have not had an opportunity to play in worldwide video games, so this shall be a deal with for hockey followers all around the world.
11. Purple Wings vs. Blue Jackets (March 1)
The Winter Basic is not the league’s solely foray into an out of doors sport all through the 2024-25 marketing campaign. The Purple Wings will tackle the Blue Jackets at Ohio State’s notorious Ohio Stadium, in any other case often called “The Shoe.” The NHL has hosted video games at iconic soccer stadiums up to now, together with Michigan Stadium, the Cotton Bowl and Notre Dame Stadium. It’s going to be enjoyable to see an Unique Six franchise just like the Purple Wings taking part in on an enormous stage.
12. Bruins at Panthers (Oct. 8)
The Panthers have been a juggernaut all through the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and ended up profitable all of it. Florida will get an opportunity to boost its Stanley Cup banner and proceed to rejoice that huge accomplishment. When it comes to what’s occurring on the ice, it’s going to be a rematch of the second-round sequence between the Bruins and Panthers, which the Panthers received 4-2. Jeremy Swayman shall be Boston’s No. 1 goaltender after the group traded Linus Ullmark to the Senators within the offseason, in order that’ll be intriguing to see if Swayman continues to excel with out Ullmark lurking over his shoulder.
13. Flames at Oilers (Oct. 13)
There are very rivalries larger than the Flames and Oilers all through the NHL. The “Battle of Alberta” can typically develop into very aggressive no matter the place both group at present is within the standings. Whereas the Oilers received three of the 4 video games in opposition to the Flames in 2023-24, every of the contests have been extraordinarily contested, and it is actually potential there shall be extra of the identical this coming season, regardless of the Flames being in a rebuild mode of kinds.
14. Lightning at Penguins (Nov. 19)
Star winger Jake Guentzel was an integral a part of the Penguins’ success within the 2010s and 2020s previous to the group buying and selling him to the Hurricanes on the 2024 commerce deadline. Guentzel has performed within the Metal Metropolis since being traded as he suited up in opposition to the Penguins in a regular-season contest final March. Nevertheless, it felt unsuitable to go away his return off the record. Guentzel helped the Penguins win a Stanley Cup in 2017, and he’ll probably all the time obtain a thunderous ovation when he returns to Pittsburgh. On high of that, the Lightning and Penguins shall be trying to make playoff pushes but once more in 2024-25, so this shall be a really entertaining matchup.
This one is a part of an even bigger image. Coming into the 2024-25 season, Capitals standout Alex Ovechkin trails Wayne Gretzky by simply 41 targets for the NHL’s all-time targets document. As a result of historical past being inside earshot, lots of eyes shall be on Ovechkin all year long. This additionally may very well be an intriguing contest on account of the truth that it is a rematch of the 2018 Stanley Cup Remaining when the Capitals defeated the Golden Knights.
16. Panthers at Kraken (Dec. 10)
Defenseman Brandon Montour was an vital a part of the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning group final season. As is usually the case for championship groups, they cannot maintain all people within the fold endlessly. Montour ended up signing a large contract with the Kraken in free company. This December showdown would be the first time that Montour will get to face his former group after they do battle within the Pacific Northwest. The Kraken shall be trying to bounce again after lacking the playoffs in 2023-24, so this may very well be a strong barometer of the place they’re at within the first two months of the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
17. Golden Knights at Panthers (Oct. 19)
After profitable a Stanley Cup, the Panthers will definitely have an enormous goal on their again all season lengthy as they defend their crown. The Panthers shall be examined early on with matchups in opposition to the Bruins (twice), Canucks and Golden Knights. Vegas shall be trying to bounce again with a deep Stanley Cup run after being eradicated within the opening spherical by the Stars final spring. That is a kind of juggernaut showdowns that might find yourself being a Stanley Cup Remaining preview even when it is in October.
18. Avalanche at Stars (Nov. 29)
For the reason that Avalanche received the Stanley Cup in 2022, it has been a pair of letdown postseason performances for the franchise. After dispatching of the Jets in 5 video games within the opening spherical of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Stars have been in a position to take down the Avalanche in six video games. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog hasn’t performed for the reason that group hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup in 2022 on account of a number of knee procedures. Landeskog needs to be again within the fold early on this season, and this matchup may very well be a playoff preview between two of the West’s higher groups.
19. Maple Leafs at Bruins (Oct. 26)
The Stanley Cup Playoffs have not precisely been variety to the Maple Leafs lately. After lastly profitable a playoff sequence in 2023, the Maple Leafs have been eradicated within the opening spherical of the 2024 postseason by the hands of the Bruins. It was actually one of many extra entertaining sequence within the first spherical of the 2024 playoffs, and that loss probably stung for Toronto. These two groups have had their justifiable share of wars through the years, so this can be a matchup that must be circled on the calendar.
20. Purple Wings at Panthers (Jan. 16)
Whereas the Panthers have their core group principally nonetheless intact, one other veteran flew the coop in free company within the type of winger Vladimir Tarasenko. Whereas Tarasenko might not be the elite scoring risk that he as soon as was, he nonetheless affords quite a lot of offensive prowess. Tarasenko landed with the Purple Wings in free company, so his first sport in opposition to his outdated group is one thing value watching. Detroit has additionally added an abundance of expertise over the previous two summers. This may very well be an ideal check to see the place the Purple Wings are within the pecking order of the Jap Convention.
